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1. hair length 20"
2. color #30 on front and color #4 at back
3. texture straight hair
4. 100% density
5. baby hair around the perimeter
6. bleached knots
7. Brazilian virgin human hair
8. natural hairline and transparent swiss lace
9. Cap size:22.25 medium size
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1. Keep the hair clean. We suggest that you wash the hair at least once or twice a week with warm or cold water. Please wash the hair immediately after swimming, spa, exercise, and etc. When dirt and sweat accumulate, hair tangles. Too much leave-in conditioners and other hair care products will create a build up on the hair and will cause it to tangle faster. If the hair feels dry or heavy with build up, wash it with good shampoo & conditioner.
2. Before washing the hair, spray mixture of conditioner and water and brush the hair from bottom up. You must gradually wet the hair down and brush it gently before you completely wash the hair. If the hair is very dry and a lot of water is added at once, hair will swell up like sponge and tangle! Therefore, it is important to gradually wet the hair and brush it.
3. After wetting the hair, add shampoo and conditioner and brush thoroughly. Be sure to wash and brush the hair in one direction. Rinse the hair completely with water and towel dry. It is best to air dry the hair but you can also blow-dry with low to medium heat.
4. Make sure you brush the hair daily and apply some leave-in conditioners so that the hair is soft and moist. A good leave-in hair treatment can keep the hair from drying. But remember not to put too much otherwise there will be a build up and make the hair feel too heavy. If the hair feels too dry or heavy with too much hair care products, you should wash the hair completely by following steps 2 and 3. 5. When swimming, always wear a cap to prevent prolong exposure to chlorine or salt water which causes the hair to tangle. Always wash the hair right away with shampoo and conditioner after swimming in both types of water. When going to the spa, the hair should be brushed out completely and should be wrapped in a cold wet towel. 6. Make couple of big braids when going to sleep, swim, or exercise (please untangle the hair before making the braids). NEVER SLEEP ON WET HAIR. Make sure the hair is completely dry before going to bed. 7. You can also make a leave-in conditioner at home by diluting conditioner (10%) with water (90%). Apply the mixture lightly onto your hair and brush the hair from the end to the top near the scalp. Although it is important to apply leave-in conditioners to keep the hair from dryness, it is important to keep the hair clean by washing the hair about twice a week so that it will not create a build up. 8. It would be advisable NOT TO TINT, COLOR, PERM OR DO ANY EXTRA CHEMICAL PROCESSES because it has already been treated. Please be extra careful with blonde and other light colored hair. They are more chemically processed than the dark hair. Therefore, we will not be responsible for the outcome. 9. Please check the hair before you use the hair. Be certain that the hair texture, color, length, and quality are what you want. We will not be responsible for the hair if it is not in original condition. For the WET & WAVE hair such as the French Refined and the European Wave, you may test the curl by wetting a small portion away from the rest. Place the hair on a desk, pull a small portion away from the rest, spray some water, and let it soak for about 15 seconds. Hold the top of the hair while it is on the desk and gently brush the wet portion from the bottom and watch it wave. Towel dry and scrunch it to wave up more. 10. Some hair comes out form the wefts easier than others (e.g. silky hair). In cases like this, you may glue or reinforce the weft before putting it on.
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Beckerman, Williams & Alexandre Taking to TV Airwaves for Tonight's Weekend Wrap-up Shows;
Real Salt Lake Welcomes Costa Rican Side Puntarenas F.C. to Sandy for Saturday Friendly
SANDY, Utah (Sunday, June 13, 2010) – Real Salt Lake will look to stay sharp during the current MLS break for FIFA World Cup group play and prepare for its first-ever appearance in the upcoming CONCACAF Champions League this Saturday, June 19, when the defending MLS Cup champs will play host to Costa Rican side Puntarenas F.C. at Rio Tinto Stadium. The Utah side's first full friendly of the 2010 campaign kicks off at 7:00 p.m. MT and will not be televised, but fans that can't make it down to Sandy can follow the action live by tuning into RSL's official radio partners – KALL 700 Sports (English), ESPN Deportes 1600-AM and Homero 106.1-FM (Spanish) – or by checking into RSL's Official Twitter feed, located at www.Twitter.com/RealSaltLake.
Tickets for the RSL-Puntarenas contest are now available online at www.RealSaltLake.com and www.RioTintoStadium.com, over the phone at 888-4-RSL-TIX (888-477-5849), and in person at the Rio Tinto Stadium Box Office from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. on weekdays and beginning at 10:00 a.m. MT on gameday. All Real Salt Lake season ticket holders are assured of their current seats for Saturday's match by using tickets labeled "Exhibition Game A" and have the ability to purchase a select number of additional, specially-priced tickets.
Ticket prices for Saturday's RSL-Puntarenas match begin at $14 for those purchasing KFC vouchers (visit KFC locations along the Wasatch Front or the Rio Tinto Stadium box office for information on the KFC "Kids' Club tickets for Saturday, June 19). Puntarenas stand-alone prices start at just $15 for Upper Deck seats and continue at $18 and $20 in the North and South Goals, $30 in the Lower Sideline area, $40 at East Side Midfield and $60 in the Front Row and West Side Midfield areas. For more information, please visit www.RealSaltLake.com or www.RioTintoStadium.com.
All-time, RSL has posted a 6-4-3 mark against visiting international squads, with a positive goal differential (17 goals for / 16 goals against). Puntarenas joins some of the planet's most revered clubs in facing Real Salt Lake, as Spain's Real Madrid (2006), Argentina's Boca Juniors (2007), England's Everton FC (2007/09) and Mexico's Club América and Chivas de Guadalajara (2009) have previously blazed the trail to Utah. This will mark the second exhibition contest in as many months for the club, as the RSL Reserves played to a 1-1 draw against the Mexican Under-21 National Team at Rio Tinto Stadium back on May 15.
Beckerman, Williams & Alexandre Taking to TV Airwaves for Tonight's Weekend Wrap-up Shows
Real Salt Lake's upcoming exhibition against Puntarenas F.C. and the exciting start to the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be just some of the many topics covered by a trio of Real Salt Lake players appearing on tonight's sports wrap-up shows on Salt Lake City's CBS, ABC & FOX affiliates. Fans can first catch World Cup veteran Andy Williams appearing on KSTU's FOX 13 Sports Page with Rick Aaron and Amy Bender at 10:05 p.m. MT, followed by captain Kyle Beckerman joining host David James on KUTV 2's Talkin' Sports and Haitian National Team regular Jean Alexandre chiming in with Wesley Ruff and Emerson Lotzia on ABC 4's Sports Zone, both of which start at 10:30 p.m.
Real Salt Lake Schedule: June 14-20, 2010 (all times MT unless noted)
All RSL practices are open to members of the media and the general public unless otherwise noted, with media availability for all players and coaches to immediately follow each session. Those planning on attending any session can confirm the time and location of that day's training by calling 801-918-5050.
June 14 & 15: Off Days
Wednesday, June 16: Training at XanGo Field in Lehi – 10:00 a.m.
Thursday, June 17: Training at XanGo Field – 10:00 a.m.
Friday, June 18: Training at XanGo Field – 11:00 a.m.
Saturday, June 19: Real Salt Lake v. Puntarenas F.C. (CRC)
- International Friendly (Season Ticket Holder "Exhibition Game A")
- 7:00 p.m. MT kick-off at Rio Tinto Stadium
- TV: None
- Radio: KALL 700 Sports (America First Credit Union Pre-match Report begins at 6:00 p.m.), ESPN Deportes 1600-AM, and Homero 106.1-FM
Sunday, June 20: Off Day

subset: commoncrawl


text: If this happens, immediately turn OFF the power switch of the GS610. Provide adequate space around the GS610 or check and remove foreign objects caught in the cooling fan on the rear panel. Please wait a substantial amount of time before you turn ON the power switch. If the same warning appears, the GS610 may have malfunctioned and will need to be sent in for repairs.


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The Japanese assault of Dec. 7, 1941, is fittingly known as "Pearl Harbor." The fleet at anchor in the harbor near Honolulu was the primary target of the surprise attack that killed more than 2,400 Americans and launched the United States into World WarII.
When Oahu's Memorial Day services are held tomorrow, they will center around Pearl Harbor and the remains of the USS Arizona, the battleship that blew up after a 1,760-pound bomb dropped by a Japanese "Kate" bomber pierced the deck near Turret II and plunged into the forward ammunition magazine, setting off a massive explosion. The ship was ripped in two and sank – 1,177 of 1,400 crew members were killed. The Arizona accounted for roughly half of those killed on Oahu that day.
Over the years, a military museum complex has grown up around the Arizona Memorial. It includes the memorial, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park, the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island and the USS Missouri, the battleship where the Japanese surrender was signed in Tokyo Bay in September of 1945.
But Pearl Harbor tends to overshadow the many important sites around Oahu involved in that "date which will live in infamy," as President Franklin D. Roosevelt would call it in his request that Congress declare war on Japan after the attack. Here are a few that visitors shouldn't overlook.
Schofield Barracks
For me, this is the second most important World War II site on Oahu, yet its distance from Honolulu and the restrictions because of its role as an active Army base make it unknown to all except the most persistent tourists interested in World War II. It's best known to many Americans as the setting of the movie "From Here to Eternity," starring Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra and Montgomery Clift as soldiers stationed in Hawaii at the outbreak of the war.
Schofield Barracks is the heart of the Army presence on Oahu and was hit hard by attacks on Dec. 7, 1941. Survivors of the attack were among those who took the fight to the Japanese, in battles from Guadalcanal to the Philippines. They've been involved in nearly every major conflict since. The base remains the home of the 25th Infantry Division, nicknamed "Tropic Lightning." Because of security restrictions at the base, access is limited.
Anyone driving between Honolulu and the North Shore will pass the art deco entry gates. Travelers can visit the Tropic Lightning Museum in historic Carter Hall on the base.
Wheeler Army Airfield
Next to Schofield Barracks is another active base that was attacked. Today it is home to the aviation brigade of the 25th Infantry Division. Built in 1922, it was a major Army air base that also hosted famous civilian flights such as the Dole Derby. It's where Amelia Earhart landed on her 1935 flight from the U.S. mainland. The majority of the aircraft here were destroyed on the ground – parked close together because generals feared saboteurs more than an attack.
The North Shore town is mostly known as the capital of modern Hawaiian surfing, filled with surf shops and funky cafes and bars. But on Dec. 7, 1941, it was a sleepy town with an auxiliary dirt runway used by pilots from Wheeler Field for practice landings. Haleiwa was one of the few airfields that was not initially attacked by the Japanese. Two Army pilots, Lt. George Welch and Lt. Ken Taylor, were able to take off in their P-40 Warhawks and shoot down seven Japanese planes. Both men received the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest Army award after the Medal of Honor. The remnants of the abandoned airfield are just off Puaena Point. There's a World War II memorial obelisk beside Waialua Bay in Haleiwa Beach Park.
Opana Radar Site
The hill across Kamehameha Highway near the Turtle Bay resort is the center of "what if" stories about Pearl Harbor. At 7 a.m., two privates manning the Opana radar unit spotted a large force of incoming planes about 130 miles north of Oahu. They called the Fort Shafter Information Center, where a lieutenant told them to disregard the image, that it was likely a flight of B-17 Flying Fortress bombers expected from the West Coast. The site is still a U.S. government communications center and is off limits to visitors, but an informational display about the site is on the ocean side of the Turtle Bay Resort.
Fort Shafter
Though it doesn't have the name recognition of Schofield Barracks, Fort Shafter is the oldest and best preserved base in Hawaii. Established in 1907, it's the headquarters of U.S. Army forces in the Pacific. The "Pineapple Pentagon" looks much as it did on the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was here that the radar report from Opana Point of incoming swarms of aircraft was disastrously dismissed as likely a group of B-17s coming in from the mainland. Those who saw the movie "Pearl Harbor" will recognize Palm Circle, which was strafed and bombed during the attack. The plantation-style buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Kaneohe Bay
Most Marine veterans still call it Kaneohe or K-Bay, but the base on a peninsula on the windward side of Oahu is now officially Marine Corps Base Hawaii. To get to the base, visitors either pass through or around the Pali – high cliffs where King Kamehameha's warriors won the decisive victory to unite the islands in the 18th century. Kaneohe Bay has been a U.S. military base since 1918. When the Japanese attacked, a 498-acre naval air station had just been completed. Eighteen sailors and two civilian contractors were killed. Chief Petty Officer John Finn received the Medal of Honor for manning a machine gun to fire on Japanese dive bombers despite being severely wounded. Kaneohe grew rapidly during World War II, including the installation of one of the 14-inch guns salvaged from the U.S.S. Arizona that served as a coastal defense battery.
It was fired only once – to celebrate the victory over Japan in 1945. The base was closed after World War II and the Pentagon tried to sell or lease the land. But it was reopened as a Marine air station in 1952 and is now the center of Marine forces in Hawaii, home to a Marine aircraft wing and portions of a Marine expeditionary brigade.
Punchbowl Cemetery
The price of victory in World War II can be found in the volcanic crater above downtown Honolulu that the Hawaiians called Puowaina, but was nicknamed "the Punchbowl" by later arrivals. Today it's National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. There are 568 service members killed at Pearl Harbor buried there, along with 30,000 others who were killed in World War II and later wars, or veterans who passed away and asked to be buried there. Ernie Pyle, the great World War II journalist killed by Japanese machine gunfire at Ie Shima, off Okinawa, is there. There's a series of marble columns etched with the names of the more than 10,000 Americans who are missing and presumed dead from action in the Pacific.
Barbers Point
Nothing much remains of the former Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, which was attacked on Dec. 7. The Japanese destroyed an estimated 33 of its 47 aircraft on the ground. Fortunately, a large number of the Marine aircraft had just days before been deployed to Wake Island aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, which meant fewer planes for the Japanese to destroy and the absence of a key target, the aircraft carriers based at Pearl Harbor. The ex-base is about a half-hour from Honolulu in a rapidly developing area of industrial parks and homes. The Marines have consolidated their air operations at Kaneohe Bay. Other than being at the location of the attack, the only remnant worth visiting is the monument that sits just outside the clubhouse of the former base golf course. Nearby Ewa Beach Park is one of the prettiest spots in West Oahu, rarely busy and a good point to watch Navy ships coming into Pearl Harbor.
Bellows Field
Two pilots were killed on the ground during the Dec. 7, 1941, attack at this secondary airfield on the southeastern coast of Oahu. It's most famous as the spot where the first Japanese prisoner of the war was captured when a Japanese midget submarine washed up on a nearby beach. Today the area is Bellows Air Force Station, offering recreation facilities for military personnel. On the weekends, civilians are allowed access to the beach, making it one of the most unusual sun-and-fun spots on the island.
Fort DeRussy
The former World War II coastal "Battery Randolph" sat in the middle of Waikiki in 1941. The area is now the home of the U.S. Army Museum and a popular urban park on the west flank of Waikiki. The museum tells the story of the Army in Hawaii, including exhibits on the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The unit was made up of Japanese-Americans who overcame racism and in some cases internment to become the most highly decorated unit of World War II for action in Italy. Their motto: "Go for broke." The area also includes the Hale Koa, a popular military recreation hotel. One of the best views of the park is from the elevated swimming pool and restaurant area of the Trump Waikiki hotel.
Hickam Field
The first military base most visitors to Hawaii see is Hickam Air Force Base, adjacent to Honolulu International Airport, where KC-135 tankers, C-17 transports and F-15 fighters can be seen from landing commercial planes. In 1941, it was the main Army Air Corps bomber base. It and adjacent Fort Kamehameha were heavily damaged by the attack Dec. 7.
Aircraft had been lined up wing-to-wing because of military fears of sabotage, making them easy targets for the attacking planes. There is limited public access to the base, though veterans and active personnel will have an easier time. Check out the cluster of memorials around Flagpole Circle. The base hospital treated hundreds of casualties from the attack. The Pacific Air Force headquarters feature a damaged American flag that flew on the day of the attack and an unrepaired wall pockmarked with bullet holes from strafing and shrapnel from bomb blasts. Hangars 15 and 17 are leftovers from the World War II era. The modern Air Force base is where Vietnam War POWS first touched down on American soil after their release in 1973. It's also home to the Army's Central Identification Laboratory, which has painstakingly recovered and identified the remains of Americans killed or missing from World War II through Vietnam.
Diamond Head
The iconic volcano at the end of Waikiki is honeycombed with World War II observation posts. In the days after Pearl Harbor, fears of a Japanese invasion of Oahu were heightened. Diamond Head became a key observation post that could see activity on the south and east side beaches where the Japanese might land.
On the ocean side are concrete bunkers carved into the mountain. Begun after World War I, the high point overlooking the long beach at Waikiki included several dug-in batteries of artillery that could fire at approaching ships or landing craft. On the back side was Fort Ruger, a communications post that would relay what the soldiers up top were seeing to military bases up and down the coast. Most of the military presence has been withdrawn or turned into electronic observation posts. The old bunkers can still be reached by hiking trails to the summit, which includes a long ladder built by the military to reach the top.
Off base
Among the interesting civilian spots associated with World War II are the Westin Moana Surfrider and Royal Hawaiian hotels, which found their famous beachfront strung with barbed wire after Pearl Harbor. The hotels were used as administrative offices and recreation centers throughout World War II. Hotel Street in Chinatown, with its bars and houses of prostitution, was a favorite hangout of military personnel on leave. It was also featured in "From Here to Eternity."
How to visit some of these sites:
Schofield Barracks: Enter through the Lyman Gate off Highway 99 near the central Oahu town of Wahiawa. The museum is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Call 808-655-0438 or go towww.25idl.arm.mil and follow the links to recreation, then museums. Admission is free. Self-guided tours of the barracks and Wheeler Field are available. Tip: Home of the Brave Tours is a good choice for public tours that include Schofield Barracks. Contact them at 808-396-8112 or www.pearlharborhq.com.
Fort DeRussy: The Hawaii Army Museum is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Admission is free.
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, 2177 Puowaina Drive, Honolulu, 808-532-3720. Open 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (closes an hour earlier October through February).
More information on other sites: www.gohawaii.com
Read more: "Hawaii's World War II Military Sites," by Col. Charles A. Jones. Detailed guide with maps.


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Here's my second and final Monkey Goggles article that was originally published a little over a year ago on the Archie McPhee literary webzine. As I mentioned yesterday, I'm putting these articles up here as it seems that MG isn't going to be publishing any longer and in case that site fades away I'd like to have a record of the article. This piece centers on the differences between the final cuts of films and the book adaptations of the screenplays those films were based upon. T he main example I use is the novelization of E.T. and how it could have been, and in the novel is, a much darker story. You can also find my thoughts on the sequel story, E.T. The Book of the Green Planet, that was never made into a film, only published as a stand alone novel…
In the realm of film novelizations, there's rarely room for originality, but every once in a while these books can be a treasure trove of interesting material.
Novelizations were originally a brilliant marketing scheme to bring a sense of weight and establishment to otherwise light genre flicks, at least in the case of the print editions of stories like Star Wars. It's rumored that Alan Dean Foster was hired to ghost-write the novel in George Lucas' name so that the film would have the "literary" background of at the time recent hits like Mario Puzo's The Godfather and Peter Benchley's Jaws. Later, in a pre-home video world, these novelizations became a merchandising phenomenon, giving hungry audiences an outlet for reliving their favorite films and breathing new life into genre publishing.
The novelization of E.T. sold more than one million copies and gave a generation of fans a glimpse into an alternate view of the story that almost was. The original idea behind the movie was not to make a tranquil boy-loves-alien adventure, but instead a darker, more sinister sequel to Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Originally titled "Night Skies", the story centered around a malevolent race of aliens that land on earth and besiege a family living on a farm. Though there was a script written by John Sayles, Spielberg eventually decided that he didn't want to produce a violent extra-terrestrial sequel to Close Encounters, and instead broke up the script, reusing aspects that what would eventually become story points in later Spielberg productions — namely Poltergeist, Gremlins, and E.T.
Though the character of E.T. became much tamer in the eventual film, author William Kotzwinkle had a much deeper and slightly darker tone in mind when he was commissioned to pen the novelization. First and foremost, the book contains a fascinating shift in the story's point-of-view. Whereas Spielberg chose to ape Charles Schultz's child's height world-view perspective, rarely showing the faces or upper torsos of adult characters and basking in the wonderment of a kid's point-of-view, the book instead takes on a more omniscient angle. Instead of approaching the alien from Elliott's perspective, we are instead invited into the mind's eye of E.T. himself, seeing Earth as it appears to him. He loses the infant-like quality that made him so loveable in the film, and is instead imbued with the sage wisdom of a ten million year-old wanderer.
One of my favorite moments in the novelization is when, E.T. plays the role of the audience for a second, and it gives the author an opportunity to provide some commentary on Spielberg's filmic charm. Kotzwinkle has E.T. strolling out to the edge of the redwood forest where the aliens have landed at the beginning of the film. After securing a sapling for examination and cataloging, E.T. is enraptured by the lights of the suburban neighborhood sitting at the foot of the valley. Knowing that this is going to be their last visit to Earth for centuries, E.T. lingers, longing to peek into the windows of the homes, to get a glimpse of the human middle class life. Again, it's just a bit of commentary on what makes Spielberg's early work so special.
It's also interesting that, with this shift in viewpoint, certain aspects of the story take on a much darker tone. At the beginning when the humans come to the landing site and start searching the woods, we're introduced to "Keys", Peter Coyote's nameless scientist character who is known in the story by the jangling key-ring on his belt. When E.T. sees him for the first time, the keys are described thus: "…the old botanist saw the man's belt, with something hanging from it like an assemblage of teeth, jagged-edged, trophies possibly, wrenched from the mouth of some other unfortunate space creature, and placed on a ring…" A bit later, the author has E.T. describing the circular key ring as a sort of open-mouthed grin with jangling teeth.
There's also an isolationist's tone to the opening of the novel. E.T.'s species survive for millennia and have cultivated a vast knowledge as well as a Zen-like understanding of peace and harmony, yet they refuse to attempt to communicate with the humans, instead centering all their attention on Earth's flora because they are afraid of being ridiculed and mocked. It's a very odd and dark way to approach the material, for sure. E.T. was Wall-E before there was a "Wall-E".
Another interesting aspect that Kotzwinkle either added to the "E.T." universe or amped up from the script was the idea of the alien race being so closely connected to plant-life that they not only communicate with it, but also have the ability to physically manipulate it. It's either that, or that plants defy their normal physics in their presence. In the opening scene when the humans have descended upon the landing site and E.T. is trying to get back to the ship, there are trees that lift their roots to trip the pursuing earthlings, while a patch of emotionally-clingy weeds hold the alien back, wanting him to stay with them. It exudes a passion for the story that goes beyond simple script adaptation, which I think is rare in these 1980s era movie novelizations.
I could go on and on with how much deeper the original novelization probes into the characters – how Elliot, Steve and Gertie's mother Mary (played by an exasperated Dee Wallace in the film) is so lonely and lost in her own mind that she fantasizes about disappearing from life and, believe it or not, masturbation. (See page 17; the innuendo is there.) She's also simultaneously dreading the world her children have to face, wondering if they'll succumb to overdosing on drugs, all while listening in on them playing a campaign of Dungeons and Dragons in the kitchen.
Who would have thought that there'd be room for this sort of storytelling in what amounts to simple movie merchandising in a decade known for its hollow commercialism? I honestly didn't think there was anything left for me to learn from a story I grew up with and thought I knew so well. Never in a million years did I think I'd get so sucked into reading the E.T. novelization that I'd be skipping lunch breaks and desperately wondering what happens next.


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Kursleitung: Prof. Dr. Rolf Steyer
Sommersemester 2010, Workshop, Kurslänge: 11.75 Stunden, Sprache: Englisch, Thema: Analysis of causal effects
This course is an introduction to the stochastic theory of causality (Steyer et al. Springer: 2010), which is a generalization of the theory of causal effects in the tradition of J. Neyman and D. B. Rubin. All designs and models for the analysis are developed for the purpose of learning about conditional and/or average total, direct, and indirect effects. Unlike other courses on the analysis of treatment effects, it uses structural equation modeling (with or without latent variables) instead of analysis of variance techniques, the General Linear Model or related techniques.
This course is a synthesis of different traditions in methodology: Rubin's approach to causality, the Campbellian tradition of quasi-experimentation and internal validity, and structural equation modeling.
Although this workshop does not require experience and knowledge in structural equation modelling (SEM), we do not recommend this workshop as a first introduction to SEM, if the motivation is to have an introduction into SEM. For this purpose, I rather suggest our course "Introduction to latent variable modeling with Structural Equation Models using Mplus" held in April 2009 at the University of Jena. This and other courses are still available in the internet and on DVDs at: http://www.metheval.uni-jena.de/courses.
The course, "Analysis of Total, Direct, and Indirect Effects in Experiments and Quasi-Experiments" aims at those who are interested in data analysis in experimental and quasi-experimental studies involving covariates such as one or several pretests, a discrete treatment variable, and one or several outcome variables.
Data analysis can be done with EffectLite, which is a program developed by Rolf Steyer and Ivailo Partchev, which will be provided to all participants. It analyzes a generalized multivariate analysis of variance and covariance. It creates LISREL and/or Mplus input files, reads and interprets the results, computes some statistics, and produces an output file containing the results that are most important for the analysis of total, direct, and indirect treatment effects. In the univariate case, EffectLite does not assume homogeneity of variances of the outcome variable between groups. In the multivariate case with two or more outcome variables it does not assume homogeneity of covariance matrices of the outcome variables between groups. Furthermore, it allows analyzing mean differences and adjusted means differences - aimed at estimating causal effects - between groups with respect to
The covariate(s) may also be qualitative (blocking factors). In this case, we estimate and test average effects for non-orthogonal analysis of variance designs, provided that the covariates are specified as qualitative indicator variables. If the covariates fulfil certain assumptions, the program estimates and tests the conditional and average causal effects.
In the course we will
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In Lisrel-versions which had compiled before August, 29, 2007 there were a bug in the FIML option for multiple group analyses. Here you can get an updated version of the executable for the student edition of Lisrel 8.8 without this bug. If you wanted to have the updated executable for the full version of Lisrel, please contact the technical support from Scientific Software International, Inc.


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The importance of visibility is the key of safe driving, which is the reason that you must repair or replace your windshield immediately after damage has occurred. Windshield Repair can help to save not only yourself, but also of other drivers and pedestrians around you.
Finding an auto glass repair in Moreno Valley ca and installing a new windshield on a car is an inexpensive thing to do to keep a car in good shape. Many people have a feeling that whenever their windshields get a crack, the only step is to replace it. However, the truth of the matter is a slight crack in the windshield can be easily repaired by a professional windshield repair tech for around $55.00 or even check with your insurance carrier. Lots of insurance companies today cover stone chips in the windshield at no out of pocket expense.
Don't Get Mixed up with that Expensive Quote, more and likely that's what it is "Expensive".
Just because our prices are lower than most auto glass repair shops around doesn't mean you are getting a low quality replacement or repair job. By staying a small auto glass business in Moreno Valley CA we can give our customers the same if not higher in quality auto glass replacement & repair. If you like you can check our reviews on Yelp to see for yourself.
Make Sure They Use Top Quality Sealants.
U-428 BETASEAL Glass bonding adhesives are used to install windshields and back windows in almost 90% of all new cars manufactured today. So when it comes to strength and roll overs make sure you ask them what urethane that are going to be used to install your windshield in your car or truck. Don't buy into the whole sales pitch about using flash primers to prep the windshield, we have seen just way to many failures in the past. Those are just what the big corporations use do to the bulk pricing they get when they switch over just to save there pennies.


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CMMs Provide Reliable, Accurate Measurement Data
Having used a CMM from Carl Ziess for about a decade, this manufacturer turned to the metrology supplier again when it needed additional inspection capacity. The MMZ B and Accura CMMs delivered the accuracy and reliability the shop had come to expect.
For Gary West, sales and customer service manager at Indiana Technology and Manufacturing Companies (ITAMCO), few parts of the manufacturing process are as critical as the accuracy and reliability of the company's measuring equipment. "You can talk all you want about making good parts, but the proof is really in the inspection report," he says.
With that mindset, it seemed natural for the company to turn to an already trusted equipment supplier, Carl Zeiss (Maple Grove, Minnesota), when it sought additional CMMs for increased inspection capacity in 2007. The Accura and MMZ B CMMs delivered not only the quality data the company had come to expect from Zeiss equipment, but also the ability to output that data in various formats to ensure a comprehensive overview of inspected parts.
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For more than 50 years, ITAMCO has produced primarily energy-industry parts, including components for coal mining, wind energy and oilfield equipment. The company has two business units: Indiana Tool–Indiana Gear, which provides precision machined components to OEMs, and ITAMCO Energy, which focuses on developing renewable energy projects and technologies. The company's 100,000-square-foot facility in Plymouth, Indiana serves as its headquarters and is used to manufacture precision parts ranging to roughly 2 meters in size. In 2006, the company began production at an additional facility located about 10 minutes away from the headquarters in Argos, Indiana. Measuring 385,000 square feet, this plant machines parts ranging in size to about 4 meters.
At first, parts manufactured at the new Argos plant were either measured using portable-arm equipment or transported to the Plymouth headquarters for inspection on the Zeiss Mauser CMM there. However, this was only a temporary solution. Properly supporting production at the Argos plant would require a dedicated, stationary CMM in a temperature-controlled inspection lab. Moreover, the energy and commodity markets the shop serves were in the midst of an upswing at the time the shop brought the Argos facility online, leading to a substantial increase in business, Mr. West says. This necessitated additional inspection capacity at the Plymouth headquarters as well.
Thus, in mid 2007, the shop set out to purchase two new CMMs, one for each facility. "We've used the Mauser CMM at our Plymouth plant for about 10 years, and that machine has always provided excellent results and reliability. Considering the history we've had with it, it was an obvious choice to purchase the two additional CMMs we needed from Zeiss," Mr. West says. In the end, the company decided on the gantry-type MMZ B model for the Argos facility and the bridge-type Accura model for the Plymouth facility.
The MMZ B features a low-tension, annealed, welded-steel construction that is said to increase thermal stability and reduce measuring uncertainty. Features include antifriction guideways on all axes, interlocking ballscrew drives and covers on all horizontal guideways to prevent dirt deposits and other contaminants. ITAMCO uses the machine to measure primarily ring gears and other components of mining truck wheels, as well as wind energy parts such as 7,000-pound housing for a 1.5-megawatt gearbox and a rotor hub for a 750-kilowatt turbine. Depending on part geometry, it typically measures six to 12 components per day. Mr. West says the CMM is ideal for meeting the tight tolerance requirements of the larger-diameter parts manufactured at the Argos plant.
The Accura features a granite machine table; a lightweight bridge for high flexural strength; thermally neutral, ceramic/glass scales; and four-sided air bearings for stability and precision. Although the machine is capable of both optical and contact scanning, the shop predominantly uses the latter inspection method, Mr. West says. The Plymouth facility uses the machine to measure relatively small parts, including top-drive components for oilfield applications and spindles for mining trucks. "The Accura is user friendly and gives us good data in a very short amount of time," he notes.
Both machines are equipped with Zeiss' Calypso and Gear Pro software packages. ITAMCO's Chip Mersch, who operates the MMZ, says Gear Pro is easy enough to use that he was able to run it after a single afternoon of training. He cites the software's greatest benefits as the variety of tolerance classes and gear specifications from which to choose, multiple output options that enable a better picture of measurement results and measurement simulation capability that helps ensure the program will run correctly.
With customer requirements ranging "all over the board," the ability to select a number of different American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) classes is especially useful, Mr. West adds. He explains that these classes specify different requirements for profile error, lead error, tooth spacing, runout and other features, depending on the gear's size and tooth configuration. Additionally, the ability to output measurement results in various scales makes it easier to see variations in measurement readings and provides a more comprehensive view of the data.
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Few manufacturing companies rely on ballbar testing to maintain machine tool accuracy as thoroughly as Silfex. Now, advanced training and a move to a Renishaw QC20-W wireless system have enabled the company to take the benefits of ballbar testing to a higher level.
Composites Machining for the F-35
Lockheed Martin's precision machining of composite skin sections for the F-35 provides part of the reason why this plane saves money for U.S. taxpayers. That machining makes the plane compelling in ways that have led other countries to take up some of the cost. Here is a look at a high-value, highly engineered machining process for the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.
Predictive Maintenance And Machine Tool Calibration Techniques
Here are some of the tools and techniques for making sure machine tools stay at peak performance levels.


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Disco was, for the most part, not one of music's greatest genres.
But Donna Summer was something special. I was 12 years old (what's called a "tween" today) when she hit the big time.
She had an incredible voice, and used it with style. Songs that no one else could carry she could. She put energy into the music. Cover versions just don't do them justice the way her pipes did. Even while "MacArthur Park" (which she didn't write- she did a cover of an older song) had some, uh, unusual lyrics, she still made them come alive in a way that blew the original away.
"Hot Stuff" was the first 45 rpm single I remember buying. I took it home and listened to it repeatedly. Certainly not philosophical stuff, but at an age when you were first trying to figure out girls, the music was PERFECT to just get up and boogie at the 7th & 8th grade dance (6:30 to 9:30, 1st Friday of each month, in the school cafeteria). It gave you courage to ask a girl to dance, and hope she didn't notice your braces.
On a side note, the first time I ever danced with a girl was when SHE asked me. Her name was Amy, and I was sitting on a table, trying to figure the whole thing out. She came out of nowhere, grabbed my hands, and pulled me out on the floor. I guess she didn't ask me at all, just said "Come on!" and pulled my arms out of their sockets.
The only disco on my iTunes has always been Donna Summer's greatest hits. Last year, when my wife gave me an LP/cassette-to-digital converter, I dug out the ancient "Hot Stuff" single and digitalized it.
Yeah, the CD music version is clearer, but hearing my original vinyl 45 again, with the scratchy needle sound, means more to me. It's the version that's still embedded deep in my brain, taking me back to the school dance.
Thank you, Donna.


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VP, Sales Manager
If you would like to purchase, refinance, or start construction of a commercial project, I am here to help!
Provident offers flexible underwriting and the ability to personally address your loan to structure a solution to fit your needs.
If you're ready to take the next step, please contact me!


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Film Classics
Stockists of great movies on DVD and Blu Ray including rare and hard to find from the 40's to Present Day. Film Classics Store stocks many Rare and Out of Print movies with new titles added weekly.
US & Canadian Buyers please read descriptions carefully regarding PAL DVDs. US 8% of business 90% of problems due to not reading descriptions!!
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Showing 1–64 of 2861 results


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Mo. House Panel Adopts National Guard Tuition Fund
JEFFERSON CITY - A Missouri House committee has adopted legislation creating an emergency fund providing tuition assistance for Missouri National Guard members, after automatic federal spending cuts forced the program's suspension.
More than 900 Missouri National Guardsmen will lose their federal tuition assistance at the end of the current semester if the automatic federal cuts remain intact.
Last week, the Missouri House Budget Committee voted to use $1.5 million in state funds to continue the aid. Separate legislation allowing the money to be spent cleared the Veterans Committee on a 14-0 vote Tuesday.
The measure is sponsored by Republican Rep. Charlie Davis, of Webb City. He says he hopes the state funds won't be necessary and that the federal government reconsiders its cut to tuition assistance.


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|Telephone access display system with remote monitoring
|Interactive telephone lottery system with a verification code
|Walker et al.
|Portable personal-banking system
|Keyser, Jr. et al.
|Terminal authorization method
|Johnson et al.
|Interactive synthesized speech quotation system for brokers
|Linstroth et al.
|Automated cartridge system
|Moy et al.
|Delivered article storage control system
|Information handling system and terminal apparatus therefor
|Remote transaction system
|System for electronically controllably viewing on a television updateable television programming information
|Reiter et al.
|Autogeneric system
|Video/audio information transmission system
|Okada et al.
|Information display apparatus
|Audio-enhanced videotex system
|Method and apparatus for signaling an existing telephone communication between picture telephone apparatuses
|Weber et al.
|Process for the teledistribution of recorded information and a system for performing this process
|Television/telephone system with automatic dialing
|Skerlos et al.
|Viewdata system and apparatus
|Low cost programmable video computer terminal
|Lange et al.
|Electronic apparatus for the display of information received over a line
|Connolly et al.
|Method and system for subscription television billing and access
|Block et al.
|Telephone system for selecting and reproducing text on a screen
|Schussler et al.
|Telephone interfaced subscription cable television system especially useful in hotels and motels
|Theurer et al.
interface means coupled to said telephone and to said communication exchange for communicating and receiving communication signals including carrier based signals over said communication exchange,
said interface means responsive to receiving said selective DTMF output signals generated by said telephone for selectively uncoupling said telephone from said communication exchange and allowing a user to locally manipulate said information contained in said interactive terminal after it is retrieved from said remote database;
modem means coupled to said interface means for retrieving and converting said carrier based signals corresponding to said information from said remote database into digitally encoded data signals, and for converting digitally encoded data signals into carrier based signals for transmission via said communication exchange to said remote database;
control means coupled to said modem means for operating said telecommunications device, said control means responsive to said digitally encoded data signals from said modem means;
said control means further comprising programmable memory means for storing said digitally encoded data signals; and
video signal processing means coupled to said control means for converting said digitally encoded data signals into corresponding video data signals for transmitting to said television receiver said video data signal.
a telephone keypad having a plurality of keys for generating output signals corresponding to said keys when selected;
interface means coupled to said telephone keypad and to said communication exchange for communicating and receiving communication signals including carrier based signals over said communication exchange,
said interface means responsive to receiving said output signals generated by said keypad means for selectively uncoupling said keypad from said communication exchange and allowing a user to manipulate said information after it is retrieved from said database;
modem means coupled to said interface means for retrieving and converting said carrier based signals corresponding to said information from said remote database into digitally encoded data signals, and for converting digitally encoded data signals into carrier based signals for transmission via said communication exchange to said database;
control means coupled to said modem means for operating said telecommunications device, said control means having a plurality of peripheral interfaces for supporting input/output devices, said control means responsive to said digitally encoded data signals;
programmable memory means coupled to said control means for storing said digitally encoded signals;
video signal processing means coupled to said control means for converting said digitally encoded data signals into corresponding video data signals including character generation; radio frequency modulating means coupled to said video processing means for receiving and modulating said video data signals over a carrier frequency, said radio frequency modulating means having a tuning circuit for tuning said modulating video signal across various frequencies; and
switching means coupled to a broadcast/cable exchange, to said input port of said television receiver and to said radio frequency modulating means, wherein said switching means is controlled by said control means and is responsive to said modulated video signal for transmitting to said television receiver said modulated video signal or broadcast signals received from said broadcast/cable exchange.
The invention broadly relates to a low cost terminal for the interactive access of information from computerized host databases, and more particularly, to a low cost telecommunications terminal having a telephone interface to access information over telephone lines, which uses a telephone keypad to control the terminal, and a display device to display the information.
In recent years, there has been a marked surge in the popularity of numerous commercial database systems, such as the Prodigy® data retrieval service. These database services provide various information and popular services that may be sought by the public-at-large, such as travel information, news retrieval, or stock quotation indices. The computerized databases are designed to be accessed by end-users from the home or office.
In a typical database system, the desired information is accumulated at a host computer system or network, in which the information is stored in databases or files that may be accessed by the end-user. In order to access this information or to use the services provided by the host computer network, a retrieval terminal or some other means to access information from the remote host database is required by the end-user.
Systems have been previously developed for accessing computerized databases through a telephone communication network by an apparatus that implements telephone functions and displays the requested data on a display monitor. As an example, Sargent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,662) discloses a system for displaying information retrieved over a telephone network on a terminal apparatus. Bendig (U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,701) similarly proposes a system for providing interactive communication with a remote database over a telephone exchange, which utilizes a television receiver to display the data retrieved. Schussler et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,254) also relates to another system for displaying information received from a remote data bank via a telephone exchange, on a user's television receiver.
However, the above-mentioned systems suffer a number of drawbacks. All of these systems require an additional peripheral device (and its associated cost) in order to utilize and control the operation of the device. The prior systems that utilize the telephone keypad as a control means do so only to establish connection to a remote database. Consequently, the necessary addition of a peripheral keyboard or keypad to control the terminals inevitably increases the expense of these known systems.
Furthermore, in several of the prior systems, and specifically the Sargent and Schussler et al. systems, the display device that is utilized does not comprise a readily available component (for example, a conventional television receiver) but rather entails a modified or specifically equipped display device. The use of such a specialized display device inevitably increases the cost of the overall system to the consumer/user.
An additional drawback of the previously-known systems is that they lack a reprogrammable memory capability. A system without such a feature pocesses significant limitations. For example, any required future enhancements, repairs or modifications to the units must be serviced by field personnel, or recalled from the consumer marketplace back to the manufacturer for such changes. Such a costly servicing of the prior systems may be avoided, in many cases, if a reprogrammable memory capability had been available, which would allow modifications to be easily implemented from a remote location. Thus, the lack of programmable memory leaves the systems wanting in expansibility due to their inflexibility.
Finally, these known systems are not designed to be used principally with existing accessory devices already possessed by the consumer, such as a telephone and television receiver. This would advantageously serve to render the device inexpensive.
As is known, home personal computers are often employed as a database access means By connecting the personal computer to an external modem, the end-user is able to telephonically access information located in the host computer database. In fact, the recent popularity and increased use of personal home computers by the public-at-large has fueled the development and expanded use of commercial database systems.
Although providing a feasible way for accessing the stored information, the home computer/modem/monitor combination presents a number of significant drawbacks. For example, although the cost of home computers has significantly decreased over the years, the purchase price of most computers may be a deterrent for the average consumer who might consider subscribing to a commercial host database system. Moreover, there are occasions when the potential end-user of the host database system has no need or desire to purchase a personal computer other than for accessing the database system. The purchase of a home computer is thereby rendered impracticable for such an end-user.
Additionally, certain required peripherals, such as an external modem and display monitor, must be purchased separately from the computer. These additional components are necessary to enable the computer to access and display the information retrieved from the host database. Thus, the cost to the consumer is further increased.
The above described cost barrier presents significant problems for host database operators, in that the potential market for end-users of the database system is significantly reduced. Because host database operators have had a somewhat limited market for offering their information or system database services, subscription costs to the end-users currently subscribing to such services has remained at an inflated level. Thus, many potential subscribers who would normally subscribe to a commercial database service will not do so because of the cost of using the service.
There are other concerns related to using personal computers as the access terminal. It would be advantageous for the host database operator to prevent unauthorized end-users from accessing the database. Also, it would be more cost efficient if host operators could vary the advertising viewed by the end-user each time the end-user logs onto the database system. Although achievable with current personal computers, it is necessary to include extra components with the system, which further adds to the cost to the end-user.
Apart from the stated concerns directed towards the access of information stored in remotely located commercial host database systems, it has become typical of businesses or other organizations to create "in-house" information databases. Typically, the database is stored at a centralized computer location. The stored information is shared or accessed by the direct connection of personal computers to the central computer. This is exemplified, for example, by a "LAN" network.
However, in order for the individual employees to make the most effective use of the information found in those centralized computers, corporations must invest significant capital to purchase a sufficient number of access terminals. This is often cost prohibitive to the business. Thus, the corporate database may not be used at its maximum efficiency, thereby placing an added financial burden onto the corporation.
Because of the size or bulkiness of most home personal computers, host database systems are not currently accessible to the end-user in certain desirable locations. For example, in the limited space environment of commercial airliners, automobiles, or even pleasure boats, there may be occasions when a passenger or occupant wishes to access information from host databases. However, space limitations aboard those craft prohibit the placement of a personal computer or similar unit.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that is not complex in its use in order to facilitate the interactive access of information from computerized host databases for the ordinary consumer/user.
A more specific object of the present invention to provide a apparatus for the interactive access of information from computerized host databases that employs conventional embodiments such as a telephone and television for accessing and displaying the information retrieved.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the interactive access of information from remote computerized databases that is compact in its size so as to not require much additional space.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which is capable of operating in a stand alone manner for interactively accessing and manipulating information from a computerized database.
Yet another object of the current invention is to provide a apparatus which may be programmably controlled and modified by a host database operator for interactively altering the accessing of information from a computerized database.
The foregoing objects and advantages of the invention are illustrative of those which can be achieved by the present invention and are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the possible advantages which can be realized. Thus, these and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description herein or can be learned from practicing the invention, both as embodied herein or as modified in view of any variations which may be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the present invention resides in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.
The above and other objects according to the invention is accomplished by providing a telecommunication terminal which utilizes technology presently available and commonly used. In one embodiment of the terminal according to the invention, the cost of achieving these objects is kept to a minimal level through the utilization of the end-user's own conventional television receiver and a push-button telephone as the display device and the communication link, respectively, connecting the terminal to the host database system The terminal may include a telephone interface for connecting to a push button telephone and for connecting the terminal to a communications exchange, a modem device, a central processing unit, a video signal generator, and a RF modulator, thereby providing display of information on the screen of an unmodified television receiver by simply connecting the output of the terminal to the cable/antenna terminals of the television receiver. In this regard, the elimination of a separate keyboard and video monitor constitutes a significant cost savings to the end-user.
Connection with a remote database, program selection and overall control of the terminal is accomplished through the simple use of the keypad of the telephone attached to the terminal, replacing the need for an expensive accessory keyboard. The invention, which contains the necessary logic circuitry, can communicate with a host computer base through a telephone line. Control software located at the host database is responsive to signals received from the keypad, allowing the end-user to control operation of the device and display the information and services offered by the database service.
Additionally, the device may include control software so as to program the terminal's registers and memory while the terminal is communicating with the host database, thereby allowing for future modification of the device. Communication between the terminal and the host database is further enhanced by the use of data compression and error detection/correction techniques.
In another embodiment, the terminal is directly connected to an in-house data storage location, providing a cost efficient means for retrieving information stored therein. It should be noted that because of the invention's compact size, it requires very little additional space, regardless of its application. Furthermore, when integrated with a mini-screen and push button telephone circuitry, the terminal can become a stand-alone device.
The invention will be further described by way of reference to the following drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the interconnection of the terminal, according to the invention, to external components so as to create an interactive work station; and
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the primary components of one embodiment of the communications terminal according to the present invention.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like components, there is disclosed in FIG. 1 a block diagram related to the general arrangement of the components comprising the various embodiments of a low cost telecommunications terminal 17 ("terminal" or "LCT") according to the invention.
The terminal 17 may include, for example, a telephone 2 having, but not limited to, a twelve key keypad 16 with appropriate tone addressing circuitry. The telephone 2 may be connected by an acoustic coupler to a telephone interface 3, or alternatively it may be connected serially or in parallel by wire to a telephone interface 3. Because the terminal 17 may function when the telephone 2 is connected either in a serial or in a parallel mode, it is not required that the telephone 2 be connected directly to the telephone interface 3 of the terminal 17 to operate (as in a serial mode), but only that the telephone 2 be connected to any telephone jack of the subscriber's telephone line 1 to which the terminal 17 is connected (as in a parallel mode). For example, in serial mode, the telephone 2 may be connected directly to the terminal 17 which in turn is connected to a telephone jack of the subscriber's telephone line 1. Alternatively, in parallel mode, the terminal 17 may be placed in a separate location from the telephone 2, as long as both the terminal 17 and the telephone 2 are connected to the same subscriber telephone line 1, whereby the terminal 17 would still be coupled to the telephone 2.
Advantageously, the telephone keypad 16 serves as a keyboard for allowing the end-user of the database system to selectively control the operation of the terminal 17. Alternatively, a keypad individually adapted for use with the terminal 17 may also be employed. For example, one may use a tone generating keypad (not shown) in lieu of, or in addition to, the telephone keypad 16. The keypad 16 may be either directly hardwired with the terminal 17; or it may be remotely coupled as by use of radio waves. As will be further explained, control software provided by the host database responds, under the control of the terminal 17, to the tones created by the keypad 16 in order to operate the terminal 17.
The telephone interface 3 of the terminal 17 may comprise, for example, a FCC part #68 approved data access arrangement ("DAA"). The DAA includes a standard internal dual tone multi-frequency ("DTMF") decoder IC for data/voice communication. The DAA may further contain standard circuity, known to those skilled art, for polarity protection and level detection of the telephone line. The DAA may also contain 2 to 4 wire translation and/or equalization to permit full duplex operation over the subscriber's telephone line 1.
An internal semiconductor device or a mechanical relay (not shown), under the control of a CPU5 commutates the telephone 2 and the coupled DTMF decoder onto and off of the subscriber telephone line 1. Additionally, the telephone interface 3 may include voltage limit circuitry (not shown) for preventing or minimizing line surge damage.
An individual telephone line connects the telephone interface 3 to the telephone company's terminal jack (not shown) of the subscriber's telephone line 1 so that the terminal 17 may communicate with a remote host data base. This connection may be accomplished either by a hardwire connection or by means of a wireless remote coupling using technology familiar to one skilled in the art. The terminal 17 may function with, for example, either a pulse dialing or tone dialing subscriber telephone line, or an ISDN type line. Alternatively, a private branch telephone exchange system ("PBX") providing telephone switching in an office or building may also be employed.
Notably, the terminal 17 also features an internal modem 4 so that the terminal 17 may communicate and transmit information to and from the host database via the subscriber's telephone line 1. The modem 4 may carry asynchronous or synchronous data from the subscriber's telephone line 1 and through the DAA, where it is then converted to digitally encoded information for use by the CPU5 (described below). Alternatively, the modem 4 will convert the digital information presented from the CPUS into low frequency analog signals for the DAA to transmit to the host database via the subscriber's telephone line 1.
The modem 4 may be constructed using known low cost electronics for performing standard modulation techniques, in either full or half duplex mode. These modulation techniques may include, but are not limited to, amplitude, frequency ("FSK") and phase ("PSK") modulation. The modem 4 may comprise, for example, standard industry models such as a 300/1200 baud modem conforming to either Bell 212A, Bell 103, Bell 202 or international protocol V.22, V.21., but it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the particular model or type of modem employed is not so limited.
A central processing unit ("CPU") 5, microprocessor IC, or other commonly-known, commercially available microcomputer device, serves to control the overall operation of the terminal 17. The particular CPUS which is used may include, but is not limited to, read-only (ROM) and random access (RAM) memory arrays. The RAM memory, which may be volatile or non-volatile, may serve the function of storing both the data transmitted from the host database that is displayable to the end-user and the programming information that is manipulated by the CPU5 itself. Advantageously, all of the memory contents, that is, both the ROM and RAM memories, may be programmably altered by the host software. The memory storage arrays may consist of either dynamic or static technologies; however, both types of technologies may co-exist according to design considerations. It should be understood that while a preferred embodiment of the present invention may employ both ROM and RAM memory technologies, other memory storage techniques may be employed, depending upon the memory units utilized.
The memory storage circuitry may vary, according to need or desire. For example, the memory may include only battery-backed RAM. Moreover, any type of conventional electronically erasable/alterable and programmable read only memory arrays ("EEPROM" or "EAPROM") may also be utilized, thereby providing an alternative to ROM storage ICs.
The CPU5 may further include various timers, data and memory management means, and addressing circuitry known to those skilled in the art; input/output circuitry for enabling the CPU5 to communicate with the various other components that comprise the terminal 17; and serial and parallel interfaces (12, 13, 14) for attaching peripheral components to the terminal 17, such as a keyboard, printer or a disk drive device (not shown).
The video generation unit 6 (or "video generator") includes a video processor which receives digital signals from the CPU5 and converts ("encodes") the digital signals into corresponding video signals, including, but not limited to NTSC, HDTV or IDTV compatible video signals. As later discussed in greater detail, the video signals are transmitted to an RF modulator 7 for radio frequency modulation. The signals are thereby converted for output to a standard television set or compatible monitor.
The video processor may contain, for example, a character generator, character memory, programmably alterable buffer memory, scan line counters, and vertical and horizontal timing generators. Further, the video generator 6 may also include row/table addressing circuitry, color specification bits, character attribute control, intensity controls, local scan delay counters, and row or column offset counters.
The output signal from the video processor is inputted to a video summing circuit which combines the various sync, intensity and data information for the signal. The video summing circuit may comprise circuitry known to those skilled in the art. The values used for the various counters, generators, and controls may be contained in software settable registers or buffer memory internal to the terminal 17, which are configurable from the CPU5 under the control of the host software. Alternatively, these values may permanently reside within the circuitry of the video processor. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the video processor implements all of the logic functions required for the generation of the necessary timing signals and video output signals. Likewise, commonly used video terminal attributes are supported by the video processor including display refresh, data update functions and display character RAM for external character generation.
A radio frequency ("RF") modulator 7, preferably of the type commonly encountered by those skilled in the art but not so limited, receives the encoded video signal from the video generator 6 and modulates the signal using standard RF techniques to produce an output television signal. The output signal may comprise, for example, a composite video signal which is amplitude modulated and an audio signal which is frequency modulated, tuned to any desired frequency. In one mode, the output signal is modulated to 61.3MHz or 67.3MHz (commonly known as channel 3 or 4) for input to a television receiver 15. Alternatively, the output signal may entail separate video and audio output signals, thereby allowing separate output of the video signal to VCR's or monitor type television sets. A switch 8 may be employed to switch the output signal between channels 3 and 4, unless the mode of operation of the terminal 17 utilizes a different output frequency. For example, an output signal modulated in the range of the 910-918MHz bandwidth permits the use of a radio waves means to communicate between the terminal 17 and a television receiver 15, thereby eliminating the use of switch 8.
Advantageously, the RF modulator 7 may contain color processing circuits to allow for the generation of color-encoded data. The RF modulator 7 receives such color data information from the video generator 6. The RF modulator 7 may also contain vestigial sideband filter circuitry for filtering undesirable signal components.
The RF modulator 7 unit may further include a switch 9 for switching the signal input to the television receiver 15 between either the signals transmitted from the terminal 17 and signals transmitted from a typical cable/antenna (not shown) attachment to the television receiver 15. The switch 9 is controlled by the CPUS, and contains high frequency switching circuitry common to one skilled in the art.
The terminal 17 may also include several peripheral interfaces. Any of these interfaces may be configured according to current industry standards, or may be configured for custom peripherals. For example, one enhanced mode of the terminal 17 may include a keyboard interface 12, a printer interface 13, and a disk interface 14. The peripheral interfaces allow the terminal to be used with or without traditional computer peripherals, such as a keyboard, monitor and/or printer. Thus, in addition to use with a television receiver 15 and telephone 2, the terminal 17 may be used in a stand-alone capacity, similar to a personal computer. Even when such peripherals are not employed, however, the terminal 17 continues to function in a telecommunications capacity. In its preferred embodiment, the terminal 17 is designed to be used principally with a telephone 2 and television receiver 15, rendering the device inexpensive.
The operation of the terminal 17 will now be explained. In accordance with the present invention, the end-user, after turning on the LCT or terminal 17 unit, depresses a specific key on the telephone keypad 16 to initiate use of the terminal 17. Advantageously, the terminal 17 may be programmed such that the CPU5 may prevent operation of the terminal 17 unless and until a proper sequence of keys (e.g., corresponding to a "password") are depressed, thereby securing access to the terminal 17 only by persons entering the proper "password."
Upon gaining access to the terminal 17 the end-user may then enter the telephone number of the desired computer database, or alternatively, may make a selection from a preprogrammed list of automatically dialed computer databases that may appear on the display screen, by depressing the corresponding key on the telephone keypad 16. When any of the keys are depressed on the telephone keypad 16, the telephone interface 3 receives the keypad tone information and translates it into corresponding digital high and low level signal states which are well known to those skilled in the art. Of course, it is understood that the invention is not limited in operation to the use of such logic signal states described above, since those skilled in the art can readily adapt the various circuits to operate with other types of logic.
These digital signals from the telephone interface 3 are always presented to the CPUS. Advantageously, after the terminal 17 has been accessed by the end-user, the CPU5 may then selectively switch the telephone 2 coupled with the DTMF decoder off of the subscriber telephone line 1. Because the CPU5's functions also includes a dialing means and a telephone call dialing control means for initiating and maintaining a telephone call from the numbers entered into the keypad 16, the terminal 17 may then automatically dial and connect with a computer system's host database.
In one mode of operation, after access to the terminal 17 has been achieved, the telephone 2 along with the DTMF decoder is switched off and disconnected from the subscriber telephone line 1 circuit, and the DTMF tones are now translated and transmitted internally to the CPUS in order to control operation of the terminal 17. This permits the use of DTMF tones as a data communication means linking the telephone keypad 16 and the terminal 17, which signals are in turn relayed through the CPU5 to the remote host database in order to control the transmission of the desired information therefrom.
Accordingly, while commutated to the subscriber telephone line 1, the CPUS may in turn transmit the digital signals through the modem 4 and over the subscriber telephone line 1 to the host computer. Transmission of the signal to the host computer occurs, for example, when the end-user wishes to receive additional information from the database other than that already retrieved.
Likewise, the information received by the terminal 17 is then converted into digital information by the modem 4, processed by the CPU5, transformed into corresponding video signals by the video generator 6 and modulated for output to the television receiver 15 by the RF modulator 7. When accessed, the information will appear on the end-user's television receiver 15 or other display device. Individual screens of data are stored within the internal memory storage employed by the terminal 17.
The end-user is able to control the data screens so as to selectively scan the database by depressing certain keys on the telephone keypad 16. When directed by the end-user, the main menu, sub menu or other information may appear for further access by the end-user. The end-user can also direct the terminal 17 to print a hard copy of the screen to a peripheral printer when one is attached to the terminal 17.
Since each terminal 17 is provided with a reprogrammable memory capability, the terminal 17 may store multiple "screens" of video information and display these "screens" on the television receiver 15's screen when selected. Advantageously, the memory storage can be reprogrammed by the host system operator (through the host operator control software) at the time that the end-user is accessing the database. Such reprogramming would be transparent to the end-user.
For example, by dedicating a number of "screens" for reprogramming each time the terminal 17 accesses the database, the host database operator may display different messages, such as paid advertising or promotions, each time the end-user activates the terminal 17. Because of the increased advertising revenue that can be generated, the operating costs of the host database system can be reduced, which could be further passed on to individual end-users in the form of lower subscription fees. The subscription market for the database may thereby be increased.
Additionally, the internal operation of the terminal 17 can be reprogrammed by the host database operator. For example, internal program operation, communication tables and techniques, resident screen information, character generation fonts, figures or dots, may be remotely modified by the host database operator. In one example of this feature, the functions associated with specific keys of the keypad 16 may be altered by the control software, whereby the individual keys would now be altered to correspond to new or different database telephone numbers or selection offerings.
Advantageously, the controlling software that is utilized by the host operator also enables the host to control access to the different host databases according to identification means located within the individual terminal 17. In one mode of operation, the individual identification code of the terminal 17 may be located in the internal ROM of the terminal 17, but one skilled in the art will realize that placement of the individual identification means is not so limited.
Once the terminal 17 has been linked to a host database, the end-user would be presented with any information that the host system desires to provide for access. The database may be supplied, for example, by a sponsor publication in a particular market, or it may be supplied by a publication group in a regional or national market. This may include local, national, and international news retrieval; wire service information; weather; stock market or other market information; classified ads; retail shopping services; banking services; or any other information or service provided for the end-user within a local, regional or national area.
As exemplary of one proposed use of the terminal 17 according to the invention, the terminal 17 may be employed to retrieve news information stored in a newspaper's database. The end-user may activate the terminal 17 and access the database via, for example, a dedicated key on the telephone keypad 16. Upon connection with the news service database, the information (which may be tailored to the specific end-user) would be downloaded into the terminal 17 memory while the end-user scans through different screens of data by selectively depressing certain keys on the keypad 16.
Further access to information within an individual database may be controlled through a menu driven selection of topics. As discussed, host database operators are provided with control software so that the database may interactively communicate with the terminal 17 via the commands generated by the telephone keypad 16. To access a particular topic, the user may press the number on his or her keypad 16 corresponding to the desired menu selection. If a particular topic as selected contains sub-categories, such as advertisement classifications, a sub-menu or any other applicable information may appear to further define the end-user's request. Using the news retrieval example previously recited, an end-user may be presented with a topic menu comprising, for example, sports, international events, financial news, etc. The end-user, desirous of the previous night's football scores could depress a key corresponding to access of the sports subject located on the menu, and thereafter view the scores using sub-menus selected by the keypad 16.
Notably, the terminal 17 may function independently from the host computer. In one mode of operation, after the desired information is downloaded from the host database into the internal memory storage, the terminal 17 may be disconnected from the host computer system. The end-user may still scan and manipulate the information in the terminal 17's multiple "screens" of video information within the terminal 17, without requiring the interaction of the host computer system.
The terminal 17 may also be equipped with additional input/output interfaces such as would allow connection to various manufacturer's peripheral devices, game computers and personal computers. Thus, for end-users who already own a personal computer, the terminal 17 could substitute for a conventional modem to communicate data from the host database system to the personal computer.
Alternatively, in another embodiment of the invention, wherein the terminal 17 is primarily intended for "in-house" use, such as within the internal offices of a business, factory, etc., the subscriber telephone line may comprise a common hardwired network that is not connected to any telephone exchange. For example, the terminal 17 may be coupled to a remote database in another part of the company without using a telephone exchange system, but rather through the utilization of a simple hardwire connection. Thus, the terminal 17 would provide a cost-efficient replacement for personal computers or other types of terminals now employed for retrieving information from a company's in-house centralized database.
In another mode of operation, the terminal 17 may be programmed so as to monitor and record the telephone number and the length of time of all outgoing telephone calls placed on the subscriber's telephone line 1. Accordingly, such information could be later retrieved and displayed by the end-user, and perhaps be printed on a printer attached to the terminal 17.
The terminal 17 may also be programmed to monitor a telephone call while it is in progress, in effect acting as a speaker phone. This may be accomplished in a mode of operation whereby the terminal 17 allows the audio signals passing through the telephone interface 3 to the telephone 2 to also be transmitted through the terminal 17 to the speaker in the television receiver 15, thus permitting the telephone conversation to then be monitored.
The terminal 17 may further include a communications speed enhancer technique for reducing the transmission time for transmitting and receiving coded information over the subscriber's telephone line 1. Specifically, this data compression technique involves particular codes which contain a marker, a character and a repeat count, which are transmitted in place of repetitive data. This technique can be implemented by analyzing the data to be transmitted and creating a "token" table of repetitive words or phrases, based upon their occurrence in the data transmission.
In one mode of operation, the token table, which may be updated at any time, would reside in both the transmitter (host computer system, in one mode) and the receiver (the terminal 17, in the same mode) of the data link. Each repetitive or "token" phrase is assigned a separate code and is stored in the token tables in both the host computer system and the terminal 17. In essence, entire phrases or words are "compressed" into an associated code, and it is these codes that are transmitted in place of the entire phrase or word. Transmission time is thereby reduced. To identify the transmission of a token's code to the receiving unit, the code is preceded by a marker (an "esc" command, for instance).
As example of this data compression technique, the transmission of "111111" may alternatively be transmitted as "[esc][6][1]", whereby, "[esc]" would be the marker designating that the data following it is encoded, "[6]" would designate the repeat count, which is followed by the data that is to be repeated, herein coded as "[1]."
Advantageously, the transmission of an entire phrase such as "Enter your account number" may likewise be compressed by assigning a code to the phrase as a whole. For example, the code "1" may designate this phrase and would be stored in the token tables of both the receiver and transmitter. The transmission of this entire phrase would then only require the transmission of [esc][1], significantly reducing the amount of data necessary to be transmitted. Through the use of the token table on the receiving unit, the original phrase is reconstructed without any loss of data. Additionally, the terminal 17 may also be programmed to employ data error detection/correction techniques common to one skilled in the art to ensure accurate transmission of any and all data over the subscriber's telephone line 1.
In FIG. 2, the components corresponding to those of FIG. 1 have the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the invention in a basic design, without some of the features described in the enhanced embodiment depicted in FIG. 1. Specifically, the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 2 shows the terminal 17 as described above, but without any of the peripheral interfaces such as the keyboard interface 12, the printer interface 13 or the disk interface 14. Additionally the telephone interface 3 is hardwired to the terminal jack (not shown) of the subscriber's telephone line 1. Insofar as the operation of FIG. 2 is the same as FIG. 1, it need not be described.
From the foregoing discussion, it will be obvious that numerous modifications, substitutions and equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art, all of which fall within the spirit and scope contemplated by the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.


text:
RIO DE JANEIRO -- Nearly 100 rampaging Chilean fans busted through a security checkpoint at the Maracana stadium Wednesday, sprinting through a large media room and breaking down walls trying to find a way into the sold-out Spain vs. Chile World Cup match.
The red-shirted supporters, mostly young men, surged through the media center underneath the stands, pushing and shoving their way past journalists and TV crews toward a corridor they apparently thought would lead to the grandstands.
To get to the corridor, the fans broke down a temporary wall in one corner of the room, sending metal lockers crashing to the ground, according to Associated Press journalists. They then rushed back down the corridor in the other direction, sending parts of the same wall crashing down onto media work tables.
Security staff at Maracana -- where the World Cup final will be held July 13 -- were slow to react to the mass break-in less than an hour before kickoff. They eventually contained the fans in a section of the corridor around 15 minutes after they first broke in.
The Rio de Janeiro state security secretariat, which oversees security forces, said in a statement that 85 fans were detained. Some were marched away in a line by security officials, their arms resting on the shoulders of the people in front of them.
Outside, riot police armed with stun guns forced dozens of the detained fans to walk single-file toward a holding area. There, the Chile supporters chanted and loudly complained about scalpers charging $1,000 a ticket for the game. "I traveled thousands of kilometers to get here!" one fan yelled, while others chanted "FIFA is a mafia! FIFA is a mafia!"
Asked how many guards should have been watching the entry where the Chileans busted through, security guard Diego Goncalves said "about 20."
"I was the lone guy standing out there," near the entry to press center, Goncalves said. "All of a sudden they knocked down the fence and just pushed their way through."
In the joint statement, FIFA and Brazilian World Cup organizers said they "condemn these acts of violence."
"Ahead of the Spain versus Chile match at the Maracana a group of individuals without tickets violently forced entry into the stadium, breaking fences and overrunning security," FIFA said in a statement. "They were contained by the security and did not make it to the seats."
The fans came extremely close to racing down a corridor that leads onto the field. But they apparently didn't know how close they were and came back toward the media room.
There, security guards eventually gained control of the situation, waving their hands frantically and ordering the Chile supporters to sit down in a large group before leading them away. Many fans covered their face with scarves containing Chile's logo as they were photographed and filmed by journalists.
After the fans broke in, security was beefed up, with long lines of heavily armed military police standing watch as thousands of fans lined up to get inside the stadium.
Rio de Janeiro state's security secretariat, which oversees police, said that because of the "aggressive and orchestrated" behavior of the Chilean fans, FIFA asked police for help in controlling the situation and detaining the fans. An investigation into the case is underway.